Friday, October 26, 2007

Why I craft

My goodness! All you bloggy peeps flatter me! Thank you, thank you for signing up to my little bloggiversary giveaway. The geezer will be surprised when I get him to pull a name out of the bowl....and it will be a bigger bowl this time. Thanks for reminding me, Donna!

Anyway, I was tagged by Jhoanna some time back to put my take on this here meme on crafting. So here's my version........

(current wips & still thinking if I should use this leaf fabric)

1. When did you start to create and make craft?

I can't even remember how old I would have been at the time, but my first love has always been drawing and painting. I do remember my mum reprimanding me for drawing on the walls when I was a wee lass.........so what did I do? I drew on paper and glued the paper on the walls. Imagine the horror! My parents obviously saw some potential and got me an art tutor at about age 8.....I think they just wanted me learn to stick to canvasses and sketchbooks. Anyway, I had that for about four years, then the family upped and moved to Australia (from the Philippines).

Except for high school art class, all the focused arty endeavours kinda got stalled, but then I found myself really interested in sewing clothes. Like any other obsession, I threw myself into it. I was making blazers (worn with plain Hanes tees and Doc Martens, this was the 80s, baby!), tailored trousers, tops, skirts, dresses and even one formal dress. All stuff that's far beyond my garment sewing skills now, but geez I had no fear back then. After high school, I decided to do engineering.........totally the opposite brainiac end of the spectrum from anything arty, I know. I was also very into mathematics at the time and engineering made sense.....see, that "freako nerd" is really me. From there on anything creative took an extreme backseat.

2. Why did you start creating?

I never really stopped with the painting. Every five years or so, I'd get myself into an intensive art course and finish one painting. Then about four years ago I moved in with the geezer and lo-and-behold there was an art school just blocks away. I enrolled to get my painting mojo back and except for the six months after the bub popped out and early this year, I've been going more-or-less every fortnight for the past four years.

But the sewing, ah the sewing, was spurred on by my wanting to make a cot quilt for the bub and of course, the craft blogosphere. I was initially inspired by Lisa Congdon's log cabin cushions, back on her old blog. I got myself an el cheapo sewing machine late last year, made her cot quilt, made my first massive quilt and haven't looked back since. Nowadays, I like making clothes for the kiddo because I'm not a big fan of head-to-toe pink for little girls, and you all know I like my colours.

3. Why do you create?

I think it's a compulsive need for me. A floodgate had definitely been opened and I can't seem to stop. The geezer certainly finds it reassuring that I have my own hobbies and I can keep myself occupied. For me, it's a part of the day where I invest my efforts on something for me, even when it eventually is gifted to a friend. Because the creative process is what I enjoy the most.

(craft book porn)

4. What do you create?

Nowadays, I make quilts, clothes for her, smocks for markets, pouches, bags, anything that takes my fancy, really. I'm still doodling and hopefully painting soon. I also have a massive huge painting to finish. Then I have plans for lots of small whimsical ones.

5. Has this changed since you began crafting?

Not really. What's changed is I've learned from my mistakes and I can finish stuff faster. Also, some skills I learned from being an engineer have come back to me. All I have to do is take one look at a finished garment and I can immediately see how it's been constructed, including the sequence of which-seams-come-first. Didn't know any of that would come in handy, but it has and I'm glad.

And to make a long post even longer, lots of lovely gals have been commenting on my fabric choices and some of you peeps know I'm kinda restricted to just looking for now.....I'm on a fabric diet, you know. But here'swhatI'meyeballingforwhenthebanislifted, just a few more sleeps.

Jade! I'm just shocked that you've been "window" shopping when you're on a fabric diet. LOL! (And that little red gardener fabric is adorable, btw.) So fun to get to know more about you. Thanks for tagging me -- coming up soon!

Thanks for doing the meme Jade. I love reading about what makes other people tick creatively. I think that your engineering background is a big advantage to the whole 'construction' side of a sewing project. Oh, and I would love to see some of your handmade outfits from the 80's :-)

I knew it, you're an Engo. It's so funny, we scientists come out of the woodwork, using children as an excuse to get crafty. I did maths & science at school & 2 science based degrees at Uni, as i thought that was what i wanted. Well 4 children in the first 5 years out of Uni helped me ditch the pharmacology & got me sewing. So much happier now. Love Posie

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About Me

I was originally tinkering with the idea of a six-month sabbatical (holiday), due to having the bub. Six months became a year...and now we're coming up to two years. Well, I gotta have something to occupy myself. So I blog and I craft and I look after the bub, not necessarily in that order.